UN Panel of Experts considering arrangements to meet Sri Lanka's Reconciliation Commission

The Panel of Experts appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has not decided yet when to meet the Sri Lanka's Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission but arrangements for a meeting are under consideration, the UN said today.

At the media briefing on Monday, Farhan Haq, Acting Deputy Spokesperson for Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said there is nothing to be announced yet at this stage on a possible visit.

There is nothing to be announced yet at this stage, any arrangement that'd be need to be worked out is being considered," he said.

Responding to a media inquiry, the Spokesperson said the Panel is on track and would submit its report on schedule.

The Secretary-General will review the Panel's report when it is given to him and decide to make it public, Haq said adding that the deadline for submissions to the Panel has been extended until the end of this year.

The UN chief appointed the Panel of Experts to probe Sri Lanka's accountability issues during the last stages of its war against the Tamil Tiger terrorists.

The three-member Panel led by the former Attorney General of Indonesia Marzuki Darusman commenced its work on September 16.

The Sri Lankan government earlier opposed the appointment of the Panel and said the Panel members would not be allowed to visit the country. The government however reversed its decision last week and said the Panel could visit the country and make presentations to the Lesson Learnt and Reconciliation Commission.